Survey - Executive Summary

2009 Workplace Climate Survey Results

2008 Great Place to Work Survey Results

Minnesota State University takes pride in its employees and strives to provide the best workplace possible. The goal of the Great Place to Work survey was to identify anything that stands in the way. In addition to the Great Place to Work survey, Human Resources and the Organizational Effectiveness Research Group (OERG) paired up to conduct an exit survey on university employees who had left or were intending to leave MSU.

What follows is a summary of results for the Great Place to Work survey followed by results from the exit survey. More detailed responses can be found on the web site's Questions & Answers page.

On the Job

High: 93.2 percent of employees enjoy the tasks that comprise their jobs.Low: 63.4 percent of employees feel they are overloaded with work.

Feedback and Recognition

High: 80.4 percent of employees feel their work is recognized by others.Low: 68.8 percent of employees feel they get timely feedback about how they are doing on their jobs.

Learning, Growth and Advancement

High: 85.8 percent of employees believe that they are continuously learning new and interesting things.Low: 76 percent of employees feel they have the support they need to pursue opportunities for growth.

Innovation

High: 89.1 percent of employees feel they are able to make mistakes and learn from them.Low: 64.6 percent believe they have the resources they need to implement new projects and ideas.

Autonomy/Responsibility

High: 90.1 percent of employees believe they have input into how to schedule their tasks during the day.Low: 74.3 percent of employees believe they have input on decisions that affect them.

Interpersonal Relationships

High: 83.8 percent of employees regularly laugh with their colleagues.Low: 46.9 percent of employees feel they have a mentor at work.

Client Relationship

High: 97.7 percent of employees believe their work has a positive effect on people's lives.Low: 82.5 percent of employees believe that they are thanked by individuals who benefit from their work.

Outcomes

High: 92.5 percent of employees believe the University delivers a high quality education.Low: 76.7 percent of employees would recommend the University as a place to work.

Trust

High: 75.5 percent of employees believe that their supervisor looks out for their best interests.Low: 50 percent of employees believe that their coworkers are held accountable for their actions.

Exit Survey Results

Respondents generally reported positively about various aspects of the specific job. They had a clear understanding of what was expected (76.9%) and were able to use their knowledge and skills (78.9%). About half (53.6%) of people expressed that they had career development opportunities. Over 90% of respondents had enjoyment (92.3%) and freedom over their job processes (92.3%).

Immediate Supervisor

Most respondents reported positive experiences with their immediate supervisors. More than 90% of respondents felt that their immediate supervisors treated them with respect (92.3%), gave them the necessary authority to do their jobs well (100%), and acknowledged the contributions they made to the organization (100%). Moreover, 84.6% of respondents reported that their supervisors were positive role models, saying that they were honest (91.7%) and trustworthy (84.6%). According to respondents (84.7%), immediate supervisors communicated the work expectation both clearly and reasonably.

Department, Unit or Office

This section included a series of group-level questions. Respondents reported positively to various aspects of department, unit or office. Over 90% of them answered that their departmental coworkers were cooperative (91.7%), treating others with respect (92.4%), and performing their work in a safe manner (100%).

MSU as an Organization

Based on the responses, MSU as an organization works excellently at valuing its employees and serving students (both 100%). Respondents also expressed that MSU ensures the fair treatment of its employees (84.6%) and provides students with a high quality education (92.3%). As for administrative aspects, 53.9% of them reported that they trust the administration and 61.5% of them reported that MSU has a clear vision.

Pay and Benefits

While many organizations tend to have negative responses in this section, respondents from MSU reported positively regarding pay and benefits. 77% of them perceived that they had a fair compensation based on their skills, responsibilities, and job performance. All respondents expressed that MSU offered a good benefits package.